journal.travel／Practical guides／São Tomé and Príncipe
Practical orientation

São Tomé and Príncipe: essential facts to orient your trip

A first reference for locating the country, identifying its capital and checking what information to confirm before planning your trip.

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Fact-checked informationEquipo editorial de Viajalo · · 21 min
DEENESFRITPT
Urban scene in São Tomé, the capital of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Photo by Chuck Moravec Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY 2.0
São Tomé and Príncipe is an island country in Central Africa. Its capital, São Tomé, shares its name with the country and is on the island of São Tomé—a useful distinction when you first look up maps and travel information. Portuguese is the language listed, and the official currency is the dobra.
Visual context for São Tomé and Príncipe Context video selected for this guide; it does not by itself identify every place mentioned. Video by Constantino Filmes · Pexels · Pexels License · Duration: 00:34
Listen to São Tomé and Príncipe

A documented soundscape that complements this guide to São Tomé and Príncipe. A first reference for locating the country, identifying its capital and checking what information to confirm before planning your trip.

Cultural or ambient audio selected as context; it does not necessarily represent every place mentioned.
Audio by Library of Congress · loc_citizen_dj · Public Domain Citizen DJ subset · Duration: 00:31
01

An island country in Central Africa

Available references place the country in Central Africa and identify it as an island country, not a landlocked one. When planning, keep this general orientation separate from the practical logistics: this information does not confirm connections, transport between islands or access conditions. Check those details against current sources before finalising your itinerary.
Urban scene in São Tomé, the capital of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Photo by Chuck Moravec Source: Wikimedia Commons Licence: CC BY 2.0
02

São Tomé: capital and place name

São Tomé is the country’s capital and also the name of an island. When consulting maps or planning journeys, check that the result is for the place you are looking for; sharing a name does not mean that a reference to the city describes other parts of the country. Available information identifies the city, but does not document schedules, services or accessibility.
03

Language and currency: a starting point

Portuguese is listed as the country’s language, and the currency recorded is the São Tomé and Príncipe dobra, with the symbol Db. These details provide a starting point, not a guide to payments: before travelling, confirm which payment methods are accepted and what exchange conditions are currently in effect.
04

What to check before making plans

The reference information helps locate the country, but is not enough to settle the practical details of a trip. Check entry requirements, connections, local transport, services and visiting conditions with up-to-date official sources. Do not assume that this information is available.
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Key points

• São Tomé and Príncipe is an island country in Central Africa. • São Tomé is the capital and also lends its name to an island. • Portuguese is the language listed; the currency is the dobra (Db). • Requirements and logistics should be confirmed with current sources.
Sources and checks

References consulted during editorial review. Times, requirements and advisories may change: always confirm with the official source.

  1. Santo Tomé y Príncipe WikidataCC0 1.0 Wikidata · Q1039
  2. São Tomé and Príncipe World Countries — mledozeODbL 1.0 World countries dataset by mledoze and contributors · ODbL 1.0
  3. São Tomé GeoNamesDatos geográficos bajo CC BY 4.0; requiere atribución a GeoNames. Fuente: GeoNames
  4. São Tomé, Água Grande, São Tomé and Príncipe OpenStreetMapODbL 1.0; atribución y obligación de compartir bases derivadas. Fuente: OpenStreetMap
  5. São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe OpenStreetMapODbL 1.0; atribución y obligación de compartir bases derivadas. Fuente: OpenStreetMap
  6. Sao Tome and Principe World Bank Open DataCC BY 4.0 World Bank
  7. Santo Tomé y Príncipe CrossrefMetadatos públicos; derechos específicos por campo cuando correspondan Crossref
  8. Santo Tomé y Príncipe CrossrefMetadatos públicos; derechos específicos por campo cuando correspondan Crossref
  9. Santo Tomé y Príncipe CrossrefMetadatos públicos; derechos específicos por campo cuando correspondan Crossref
  10. Santo Tomé y Príncipe CrossrefMetadatos públicos; derechos específicos por campo cuando correspondan Crossref
  11. Santo Tomé y Príncipe CrossrefMetadatos públicos; derechos específicos por campo cuando correspondan Crossref
  12. Santo Tomé y Príncipe CrossrefMetadatos públicos; derechos específicos por campo cuando correspondan Crossref
  13. Santo Tomé y Príncipe CrossrefMetadatos públicos; derechos específicos por campo cuando correspondan Crossref
  14. Santo Tomé y Príncipe CrossrefMetadatos públicos; derechos específicos por campo cuando correspondan Crossref
  15. São Tomé WikidataCC0 1.0 Wikidata · Q3932
  16. São Tomé Island WikidataCC0 1.0 Wikidata · Q233124
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